Euroarms is closing

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Well, no doubt Chiappa (Armi Sport) will see this an opportunity to negotiate a price increase on their US contract
with Taylors & Co. If not double in cost, the removal of their main rival Euroarms--at least in the short
term--will only tighten the supply. There is only one effect that can have on prices. DGW has the Armi Sport 1842
at $615 NIB, and we may never see prices that low again. If you are in the market for an early war musket
like the Armi Sport US 1842, this is a wise time to make that investment. The best reproduction "NIB" and
has been since it was introduced in late 1996.

The main unintended beneficiary here may be the lower cost Indy/Paki importers like Loyalist Arms and MVTC.
And, as Wickett points out, higher prices for reproductions bring the still serviceable original Civil War arms and high
quality custom offerings closer to the cost of something NIB.

Pedersoli reps are at the Shot Show in Las Vegas this week, if anybody from that neck of the woods happens to be
in the neighborhood maybe they would confirm or deny. This much is certain, Euroarms of America isn't closing,
they are CLOSED.

[Blair]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Please keep in mind, this so far, only effects EoA. As of 10:00 am yesterday morning, everything at EoA had gone by the way of the "four winds".

A friend of mine has been in contact with Euroarms Italia (EoI), they have no comment as of this time. ??? More to come? Perhaps!
I have "no" confermation that any of this will effect EoI. And this includes Pederosoli buying them out. Again, not yet.
Pederosoli's primary market is European shooters and reenacters. Their big seller here is the M-1816 variation of their Charleville Musket.

Don't panic just yet. But you may want to dig through your closets to see what "old" CW firearms you have floating around, and consider having them re worked for future use.
Just an idea,

[Todd Watts]

Re: Euroarms is closing

I am hoping that Pedersolli will be smart enough to allow the Euro line of CW guns run for the time being because if they take those off the market, simple supply and demand on the Armis will raise their prices considerably while at the same time reducing the numbers available to the new-comers to the hobby that the 150ths will be producing. We all have gun(s) as it is, but the fresh fish will have a more difficult time than they already do if they have to compete for limited numbers of adequate guns. Pedersolli will without any doubt improve the quality of the Euro line if they take it on with their brand name. However, raising a repro Enfield to the $1k mark simply will not do for 99% of the re-enactors or living-historians. I am hoping above all else they continue the MS rifles as they are it for that particular model.

[Blair]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Todd,

David Pederosoli and Luciano (Louie) Amadi do not care much for each other.
I don't know if this dislike translates over to Paolo Amadi (Louie's son), who has been running Euroarms Italia for more than ten years (maybe closer to twenty years now). Paolo is far more interested in chasing snow bunnies on the sky slops than running a gun company. Which also accounts for no new products coming out of EoI during this time.
Paolo seens to have been able to sell some EoI products to Pederosoli. How much finishing is or may have been done by either paryies... I can't say at this time.
Louie came out of retirement to pull the plug on EoA.
I still have not conformation as to who, if anyone, has bought out EoI. This of course could change, but no need to speculate on this at this time.
Just a suggestion,

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Euroarms is closing

... raising a repro Enfield to the $1k mark simply will not do for 99% of the re-enactors or living-historians.

I bought my first musket at my first event in 1989. It was a used Euroarms Enfield. I paid $275. At 16, that was a LOT of money for me. (The barrel and top band of that musket are part of "The Money Pit", incidently)

As I try to outfit new recruits into the hobby, a musket is an increasingly tougher hurdle to leap.

I am curious about the demographics of other "flintlock-heavy" time periods in the reenacting hobby genre that have relied on $1000+ muskets for some time. If they are generally older and more established (ie - more disposable income), I wonder if that will be a predictor of the future of the ACW hobby.

My hope would be that we might see a transition from guys with 12 great jackets but one Italian musket to "fewer" jackets and one or two great replica muskets.

[Secesh]

Re: Euroarms is closing

This is what I was trying to point out in a previous thread regarding new recruits and the escalating costs of the hobby...again, time will tell.

[Blair]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Sorry to report, those good old days of cheap prices have past.
Of course, in there day, they were not all that cheap. The prices are relevant to their day n time and place.

If one doesn't, or didn't like all this cheap Italian made junk... why did Americans keep buying it?
Because "WE" are too cheap for our own good!
The Italians would have changed, if we stopped sending them junk to make and stopped accepting/slop.
You think about spending $500. for a frock coat or $600. for a firearm. What is it one needs to be a soldier?
Who is it that we should blame? Not ourselves, of course!

[KPavia]

Re: Euroarms is closing

I am curious about the demographics of other "flintlock-heavy" time periods in the reenacting hobby genre that have relied on $1000+ muskets for some time. If they are generally older and more established (ie - more disposable income), I wonder if that will be a predictor of the future of the ACW hobby.

Here in Utah, there is a small group that does Mexican War, specifically the Mormon Battalion. The group is very, very, very small to the point that its almost non-existant. And, as far as I know, potential recruits end up leaving when they see the $1,100 price tag for an M1816. Alot of these recruits tend to be older men with established careers but nobody really seems to be to interested in spending $1000 + for a musket. At least that is what it seems like out here in Utah. For the rest of us, investing that much money into an historical arm is worth it but to someone who is new to the hobby and doesn't have that foundation, the price is likely to be too big of an obstacle to overcome.

I'll be in the market relatively soon for an M1861 but seeing as how the prices will go up, I figure that I'll just get a kit from DGW and make it myself. I have a friend who builds flint-locks and owns original M1861's so he'll just teach me how to do it while I copy his original as best I can. In my opinion, if I'm going to be spending near a $1000 for a musket that used to cost $500, I'll just make it worth my while and build it myself.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Euroarms is closing

As Bob Dylan once said "The times they are a changin". Prices of all arms are going up,across the board. And it is the political times. Have you priced a Smith and Wesson Revolver lately? Have you priced a Browning Shotgun? Its across the board. Looks like the company in question took advantage of a good time for their market. But like the post stated above, the price of a Coat is nearly as much as a Rifle...there will be a change in the market. So I would take a deep breath and see what pans out. The market will pan out, and prices and panic will level out. And i would not put two bits into "Insider Knowledge". The Economy is bigger than that.

[musketbal]

Re: Euroarms is closing

One thought comes to mind is the possibility that the theft of muskets could be more of a reason for some unscrupulous individual to believe it important to attend an event for the love of $$$$$ and not for the other positive reasons why we are there. Keep an eye on your muskets just in case.

Brent Conner

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Euroarms is closing

One thought comes to mind is the possibility that the theft of muskets could be more of a reason for some unscrupulous individual to believe it important to attend an event for the love of $$$$$ and not for the other positive reasons why we are there. Keep an eye on your muskets just in case.

More of a reason to keep a musket with you whenever possible, or in a line of stacks under the watchful eye of a guard.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Euroarms is closing

I agree with John, I have seen a musket disappear at an event and we spent hours looking for it. Good accountability... the post earlier was very true...a rifle is the most expensive piece of equipment a Soldier has....so I am not surprised that the market has adjusted itself.

[Tom Dodson]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Company Quartermaster is still showing a defarbed Armisport Enfield in armory bright for $720.
Tom Dodson

[JimKindred]

Re: Euroarms is closing

Guys, stick with the topic. We do not need any references to government confiscation and like in this thread. One post has been removed already for this.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Euroarms is closing

The Price of these weapons being bought by other than reenactors are causing the price to go up as well. This was by my observation at a gun show held in Jackson, Mississippi last week. I predict that the price of a reproduction will be more than an original of the period within the year. The reason I say this, my cousin who was with me bought an Period Enfield for 1310.00, and it was in fare condition, only missing a screw on the upper ring lock and a strap lock was missing.